Unforgettable Love Event: Author Brooke St. James - Freebie & Giveaway!

   

 JFK to Dublin by Brooke St. James 

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Sarah Spicer took this saying to heart, at least where love was concerned. She had given up any hope in ever finding a decent man. She was convinced they had only one thing on their minds and were untrustworthy and unfit for relationships. This was exactly why she had a strict no-dating policy. That was before she met Collin Ross. He was handsome, successful, and possessed a refined confidence that any woman would have adored. Well, any woman except for Sarah. Her indifference toward his charms made gaining her affection difficult. But patience is a virtue, and Collin was determined to prove that if there was a man worthy of winning her heart, he was the one.   

Amazon

Available on Kindle Unlimited

   

“What are you thinking when you look at Sarah here?” Macy asked, obviously talking to the guy.

I glanced at her with a terrified expression, even though I had no idea where she was headed with the question. She had asked it loudly enough that we all turned to look at her, and she stared straight at the ruggedly handsome bus boy who was now holding our used dishes. He smiled curiously at her, and she reached out to pat my back, causing him to glance at me.

“This is Sarah,” she said, horrifying me. “Would you mind telling us what you were thinking just now when you were staring at her?”

“Macy!” I whispered.

She smiled at me and gestured toward the guy. “I just wanted to know what he had on his mind when you two were looking at each other.” She turned to face him. “I was trying to see if she was right about guys, that’s all.”

“Oh, my goodness, you need to leave that poor man alone, Macy.” I shook my head as I lowered my gaze, putting my fingertips and thumb on my eyebrows and waiting for him to walk away.

He did not do as I hoped. Instead, he stood there. “I don’t mind telling you what I was thinking, but if something’s awkward…” He trailed off, and I knew he was looking at me. I could feel it.

“Nothing’s awkward,” Macy assured him. She nudged me with her elbow, and I glanced up to smile at the guy, feeling red-faced and horrified.

He wore a curious half-smile as he stared at me, letting his light eyes roam all over my face. I blinked and stared down shyly. “I was thinking she looked like sunshine, actually.”

    

I've read a lot of Brooke St. James's books and am delighted to say that this series is my favorite. Unlike some of her other series, the continuity here is provided by a common interest more than blood family ties, but we see this group turn into family. 

I love the art, the philanthropy, the fun banter and humor, and of course the clean romance. 

In this one, I love Sarah's standards, her realization about forgiveness, and her trust. Collin's respect for her is also wonderful, even standing up to her parents. Highly recommend. 

Ms St James has some very good insight on forgiveness. An easy book to read with a fairytale ending.

What a terrific story! I was hooked from the moment I began the first few sentences....working in New York, I completely related with Sarah and the amount of people crossing the street at the same time :-) 

The story was just so lovely....I also married my husband after knowing him for a few days...and still going strong 26 years later :-) 

   

 

Author Brooke St. James 

Brooke St. James is a bestselling author of contemporary romance novels with Christian and inspirational themes and happy endings. She was born and raised in south Louisiana but has had the opportunity to travel and live throughout the U.S. An avid reader, writer, audio book addict, and fan of all things artistic, Brooke constantly has her hands in some creative activity. She's currently back home in Louisiana enjoying life with her husband, children, and two lazy dogs.  

 

 

 

 

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Code or PayPal Cash Ends 6/30/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.    

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Review: Say You Love Me by Heather B. Moore

Book Three in the Pine Valley series

  

 My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Clara Benson is not looking for a relationship, especially not after her losing her teaching position, followed by a disastrous breakup with her fiancé, and the sudden death of the grandma who raised her. In fact, Clara picks up and moves to escape her mess of memories. She hopes that Pine Valley will be the perfect place to heal from heartache.

When she meets her boss’s lawyer, Dawson Harris, Clara can’t deny her attraction. But she’s determined to choose herself, and her healing, over a guy who might be charming, attractive, and oh, so appealing. Easy, right? But when Dawson becomes the one person who can straighten out her mess, she realizes that finding herself doesn’t have to be mean losing Dawson.

My Review

Loved it! Lots of sweet moments balanced with hesitation and angst, I was captivated by the pull between Dawson and Clara, and their struggle to cope with their issues while also not letting them prevent a future together. Dawson is not the typical leading man I prefer, but his vulnerability and eagerness to please Clara made him easy to like. They had great rapport and banter which I always love in contemporary romance! This book was a pleasure to read and made me look forward to the next book in the Pine Valley series. A perfect beach read for the summer at a great price!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Check out the other books in the Pine Valley series . . .

Book One

Read my 4 star review here

Synopsis

When Alicia moves back to Pine Valley to help her mom through a serious addiction, the last person she wants to see is her teenage crush, Jeff Finch, who destroyed their friendship in one single disastrous night. But Alicia is determined to not let anything about Jeff affect her, especially since she hasn’t seen him in ten years. All she knows is that he’s living a successful and charmed life, and she is more than happy to keep anything between them in the past. But when he shows up with a date at the restaurant where she works, Alicia realizes she’s still not over her feelings, and Jeff is definitely looking at her in a way he never has before.

Book Two

Read my 5 star review here

Synopsis

Jane Morris makes a living by cleaning the houses of the wealthy residents of Pine Valley, and she tries hard not to judge their extravagant lifestyles. But when one of her clients goes through a devastating breakup with his fiancé, Jane finds herself in the middle of his emotional mess. She wants to help him, but Cameron Vance is a man she could easily lose her heart to. Jane agrees to be his date to the charity event of the year, organized by Cameron’s mother. But the magical night shows Jane that if she’s a Cinderella, then Cameron is definitely a candidate for Prince Charming.

Book Four

(releases June 12, 2018)

Synopsis

Gwen Robbins loves her job waitressing at the Pine Valley resort restaurant, and as a single woman, she has no trouble turning down any offers of dates from the restaurant patrons. Even when her boss, Seth Owens, shows interest in her, she’s not tempted in the least, no matter how strong their attraction.

But when Seth helps her through a crisis, she begins to see him in a different light. He’s not the rich and privileged business owner she first makes him out to be, but a man who’s making huge sacrifices to follow his own dreams. As Seth encourages Gwen to mend her own divide with her family, she realizes her heart is slowly opening toward a better future.

Unforgettable Love: A Clean Romance Event $100 Giveaway!

 

Unforgettable Love

A Clean Romance Event

Hosted by I Am A Reader

  

During the month of June, we will be featuring 14 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be giveaways, free ebooks and great deals on books!  

Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!

Brooke St. James

Danielle Thorne

Kaylee Baldwin

Aubrey Wynne

Annette Lyon

Laurie Lewis

G.G. Vandagriff

Josi S. Kilpack

Daniel Banner

Janette Rallison

Rachael Anderson

Delaney Cameron

Shanna Hatfield

Elizabeth Johns

 

We are starting off with a $100 Giveaway!

 

Giveaway Details One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash. Ends 6/30/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.    

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Beach Reads Giveaway Hop!

Happy summer! I'm so excited for some quality beach time. Enter the giveaway below for a print copy of Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton, and then check out the other blogs on the hop!

Synopsis

Betsy and Ty Franklin, owners of Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama, have decided to put life’s disappointments behind them. At least in theory. Ty manages their herd of dairy cows, while Betsy busies herself with the farm’s day-to-day operations and tries to forget the longing for motherhood set deep in her heart. But when Betsy’s free-spirited younger sister Jenna drops her young daughters off at the farm to attend a two-week art retreat in Florida, Betsy’s carefully constructed wall of self-protection begins to crumble.

As those two weeks stretch much farther into the hot Alabama summer, Betsy and Ty learn to navigate the new additions in their world and revel in a home that’s suddenly filled with the sound of laughter and life. Meanwhile, record heat promises to usher in the most active hurricane season in decades.

Four hundred miles away, Jenna is fighting her own battles. She’d once been free to travel and pursue a career in photography, but all that changed with the appearance of two pink lines on a plastic stick and a boyfriend who hit the road. At Halcyon art retreat, she finally has the time and energy to focus on her photography. As the summer continues, she wonders how her rediscovered passion can fit in with the life she’s made back home with her two children.

When Hurricane Ingrid aims her steady eye at the Alabama coast, Jenna must make a decision that could affect both her and her children’s futures, and Betsy and Ty find themselves protecting their beloved farm as well as their own hearts.

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Review: The Librarian and Her Beast by Laura Ann

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Welcome to Middleton Prep, a place where fairy tales and modern day collide. Where fair maidens spend their time developing lesson plans and valiant knights do battle with unreliable wifi signals; all in the hopes of finding True Love.

Librarian Piper Belmont’s world turns topsy turvy when new football coach Nash Wilde joins the staff at her school. Tall, dark and handsome, he’s every girl’s dream...until Piper realizes he only speaks in grunts and nods. Determined not to judge a book by its cover, Piper agrees to go out with him.

Just as they are getting to know each other, a family emergency forces Piper to leave town. Will she ever get the chance learn the secrets behind Nash’s silence? Or will the staff’s reigning beauty queen catch Nash’s interest before Piper gets back?

The Librarian and Her Beast is the first book in the Middleton Prep series. Each book is a stand alone story, but the series is best read in order. Every installment is a loosely based, contemporary retelling of a favorite fairy tale, full of swoon worthy kisses and, of course, a Happily Ever After.

My Review

I enjoyed this cute novella with a fun premise- classic fairy tale characters are modern day teachers and staff at a high school. This story is obviously based on Beauty and the Beast, and I thought it was a nice nod to make Piper the librarian. She's likeable and has some funny quirks. Nash represents the Beast as a nearly mute math teacher and football coach (although his brawniness comes off as hot rather than fearsome). The mystery of why he wouldn't talk kept me reading and while I thought Piper was enabling him by "playing a one-sided game of twenty questions," it drew out the relationship until other conflicts enter the plot to mix things up. They have great physical chemistry in the beginning of their relationship, and over time they learn to read each other and grow closer in other ways. The villain was way over the top which was a turn-off since I prefer more subtlety and dimensionality. Overall it was a fun bit of fluff that provided a nice escape for an evening.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)